Aaron Judge’s ‘best-case return’ date just dropped: mid-September, specifically the second week. If you’re a Yankees fan, you’ve probably been holding your breath all summer, and this news means you can finally exhale and maybe even get a little hyped for a real World Series run.
This guy has been sidelined ever since May 31, thanks to a brutal stress fracture in his first right rib. That’s two full months of him being out, and it’s looking like he’ll miss all of August, making it three straight months watching from the dugout. ESPN’s Jorge Castillo was the one who broke the news on his potential comeback, and the impact, as Castillo put it, is “Crucial.” No kidding! This Yankees team has been barely treading water without their MVP, even if they’re still in the postseason hunt. Yeah, they’ll probably make it to the dance, but a serious World Series bid? Not without Judge crushing bombs.
The Long Road Back
The good news, though, is Judge is officially cleared for baseball activities. This is huge! But don’t expect him to be strapping on the pinstripes tomorrow. He’s still got a lot of ramp-up work to do before he’s truly game-ready. Castillo notes that “the good news is Judge is on track to return in September,” which means we’re talking about his return sometime during the final month of the regular season. He might not be back for September 1st, but the signs are pointing to a return, and that’s what matters.
Crucial for a Deep Run
The Yankees have been without their MVP for most of the season at this point, and there’s no way they can rush him back. That’s just asking for trouble, right? He needs to be 100%, without too much worry, before he steps back on that field. So, while an ideal world sees him back in mid-September, we’re talking another week or two depending on how smoothly that ramp-up goes. Either way, barring any nasty setbacks, all signs are pointing to Judge making a return this season. That means the AL better be ready, because Judge’s bat changes everything.
Speaking of big bats, over here in the Emerald City, our own Cal Raleigh is unfortunately on track to hit the fewest home runs after a 60-homer season in MLB history. Man, you just hate to see it for our guy. We’re all pulling for him to turn that around and finish strong!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
Leave a Reply